Four million years ago, northern Greece looked very different from the Mediterranean landscapes we know today. Open grasslands stretched across the region, supporting herds of grazing mammals and the predators that hunted them – including this giant venomous snake.
At roughly 4m in length and weighing in at nearly 26kg, Laophis is widely regarded as the largest venomous snake that ever lived.
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What makes this giant snake particularly interesting is that it lived in Greece around 4 million years ago and during a time when the climate was cool and the environment was dominated by grasslands. Most large snakes, both extant and extinct, come from tropical environments where warm temperatures boost their metabolisms and allow them to grow incredibly large.
It’s unclear how, in a cooler climate, Laophis kept its metabolism going to support its size. Those who study this snake suggest it may have had some unique aspects to its biology, but more evidence is needed to find out what these adaptations may have been.
Laophis lived alongside grassland mammals and is thought to have preyed on anything from rodents to small deer. Like its modern-day relative the Gaboon viper, Laophis may have hunted its prey by lying in wait before striking, injecting a lethal dose of venom, and holding on until they died.
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Illustration by Hodari Nundu
